1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive information display apparatus which enables a driver to observe information easily by displaying the information as a close-range view and a distant view.
2. Brief Description of the Related Arts
In a conventional automotive information display apparatus assembled into an instrumental panel, various information such as vehicle speed, engine rotational speed, remaining amount of fuel, temperature of cooling water, travel distance and so forth are typically displayed. Moreover, the warning information such that a remaining amount of fuel is reduced to a low level and the temperature of engine cooling water increases to a abnormal high level and so forth are displayed. The warning information display is switched on and off and the warning information color is varied so that the driver can notice warning conditions.
As an another construction of the display apparatus like this, a display apparatus is proposed, which apparatus has a half mirror, a first display disposed behind the half mirror and a second display disposed above the half mirror and with an displaying face thereof directed to the half mirror. The display apparatus displays synthetically display contents of both the first and second displays. When the display information of the first display is an ordinary information, for example, the vehicle speed by using a pointer and the display information of the second display is the warning information by using a liquid crystal display, the vehicle speed displayed at the first display is observed visually as a real image through the half mirror and the information displayed at the second display is observed as a virtual image on the half mirror.
The former information display apparatus, however, has a disadvantage such that a distinction between one information and the other information is difficult and a recognition of the information is insufficient for a driver in the case that many kinds of information are displayed because display positions of the information are on the same plane.
In the latter information display apparatus, moreover, a display formation is not varied as a whole even when there is a difference of the display contents between for example travel distance which are ordinary information and refueling information which is important warning information. The display content of the second display will simply change from travel distance to refueling information when the vehicle speed displayed by the pointer of the first display and the travel distance displayed by the second display were being displayed. Accordingly, the information display apparatus has a disadvantage that even when the display content of the second display changes from ordinary running information to warning information that is important information for the driver, it is still difficult for the driver to distinguish visually a difference of a degree of importance between the information. Therefore, the display apparatus cannot sufficiently display the warning information.